Glasgow Guardianhttp://glasgowguardian.co.uk Glasgow GuardianFri, 24 Jul 2015 22:52:12 +0000en-GBhourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=268Free Pride: fighting to be inclusive and accessible.http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/07/02/fighting-for-an-inclusive-pride/ http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/07/02/fighting-for-an-inclusive-pride/#commentsThu, 02 Jul 2015 20:05:38 +0000http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/?p=22283Jessica Secmezsoy-Urquhart Something is currently wrong with pride. In England, UKIP were able to walk in the London Pride while trade unions were snubbed for banks. Pride Glasgow has decided to charge those who attend and, in the process, is highlighting how pride has become more exclusionary and corporatised, just like many other lgbt…]]>Jessica Secmezsoy-Urquhart

Something is currently wrong with pride. In England, UKIP were able to walk in the London Pride while trade unions were snubbed for banks. Pride Glasgow has decided to charge those who attend and, in the process, is highlighting how pride has become more exclusionary and corporatised, just like many other lgbt spaces in the modern day. The political fire which started pride in 1970 is in danger of being extinguished, and we need to stop it from happening.

In retrospect, the Stonewall Riots didn’t happen that long ago. Just under fifty years ago, the abuse and maltreatment of lgbtqa+ people, by the authorities, pushed the community in New York to fight back. In 1970, the first anniversary of the riots was commemorated with the first pride march in the U.S. Excitement and wariness permeated the march, with the idea of carrying signs proclaiming the authenticity of one’s identity being totally alien. By branding and commercialising pride, it is stripped of its inherently political nature.

By charging for entrance, Pride Glasgow went against what pride ought to be. Regardless of income, pride should be open to people of all sexualities and genders. By setting a price on the celebration of queer identity and liberation, they cut off many people who could otherwise benefit from pride.

The world we live in today is vastly different from that of 1970 or even the 1980s. As a transgender and asexual person, my queer experiences have differed from someone in the 1980s, at the height of the aids crisis, or someone in that crucial march of 1970. However, queerness remains something which doesn’t meld well with many corporate institutions.

Free Pride Graphic

Free Pride wants to raise awareness of the problems that currently exist at pride events, while also making celebrations significantly more accepting and inclusive. We’re using different methods to make sure that all voices are heard during the organisation of Free Pride; for example, I am part of different caucus groups including the one for disabled people and another for transgender/non-binary people. By using these groups, Free Pride can be organised to take into account the needs of specific marginalised groups, such as people of colour (POC), transgender people, and asexual people. Often people who do not identify using the labels of gay or lesbian can made to feel be excluded, even at mainstream LGBT events, Free Pride is actively trying to prevent that. Racism is also a problem in many spaces. We want to try and highlight these issues whilst making a positive change for the better through the creation of a pride that is accessible for all.

We have just had an indiegogo page created and, in the last week, held our first fundraiser through the LGBTQA+ club night Polyester.Through sources of funding such as these, people who feel able to financially support the event are able to help; however, I believe that it’s important that no one will need to pay for the supposed privilege of expressing their identities.

Our event is fully intersectional and radical; however, we have not tied ourselves to any political group as Free Pride is socially motivated – fighting for lgbtqa+ rights and inclusivity.

Recently, Pride Glasgow responded to the launch of our campaign, asking us to merge with them. They also have claimed that the council is partly responsible for the entrance charge due to charging Pride Glasgow for the use of the venue and for the police presence, unlike other events they don’t receive public funding. Saddeningly, Pride Glasgow also claim that Glasgow City Council has made it very difficult for them to hold the event in the past.

This response conveys that even pride, which seems to have become a feature of life for many, is still despised by prejudiced individuals and institutions. We are making a statement about how wayward pride has become, and therefore we will not merge with Glasgow Pride. We need to draw on experiences of all the lgbt people that came before us and make a stand for a better pride. That is, we need to make a stand for a pride that is inclusive and accessible for all. We need to fight like our predecessors did at Stonewall and, by doing so, keep their work alive.

Please follow the work of Free Pride through their facebook page: freeprideglasgow

]]>http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/07/02/fighting-for-an-inclusive-pride/feed/0Dirk Nowitzki – The story of a European basketball legendhttp://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/06/29/dirk-nowitzki-the-story-of-a-european-basketball-legend/ http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/06/29/dirk-nowitzki-the-story-of-a-european-basketball-legend/#commentsMon, 29 Jun 2015 08:08:13 +0000http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/?p=22278

By Argyris Argyroudis

Basketball Correspondent

Growing up in Wurzburg -not a very well-known sports town in Germany- presumably nobody expected Dirk Nowitzki to become a future NBA Hall of Famer. He joined the NBA community in 1998 after being selected with the 9th pick by Milwaukee and then traded to Dallas, where he would set the foundations for his future success. On January 5, 2015, Nowitzki became the 7th highest all-time NBA scorer. The achievements of the German international player evoke comparisons to other European basketball stars like Pau Gasol, Tony Parker and Arvydas Sabonis.

At the age of 16 he joined the local basketball team, DJK Wurzburg. Due to the fact Dirk was very tall, his coaches used to play him as a centre in the early stages of his youth basketball career. Mentored by Holger Geschwidner (a national team player), he later improved his shooting and passing game significantly, becoming one of the best players in Germany. Very soon he would be added in the starting line-up of his team and he would lead them to unparalleled winning records -sending his team from the 2nd to the 1st division- averaging 28.2 points per game in his final year with Wurzburg.

In the 1998 NBA Draft, the Bucks selected Dirk Nowitzki, but they seemed to have no interest in him. However, the Mavericks were keen on acquiring the European power forward. After trade deals, both Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash landed in Dallas. Jumping from Division II in the Bundesliga to the NBA league was an extremely difficult start for the German international. A few fans called him “Irk Nowitzki”, omitting the “D” due to his poor Defensive performance, while the player even considered moving back to his homeland.

Proving he has the guts to be an NBA player, Nowitzki did not quit whatsoever. He developed himself quickly, averaging 21.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game in his 3rd year in the NBA whilst starting every game that season (source: ESPN). Even though the Mavericks lost against the Heat in the 2006 NBA finals, Dirk came back stronger next season becoming the MVP of the league, averaging 24.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in the regular season. In the 2011 NBA finals, the Mavs faced the Miami Heat again, when both Lebron James and Chris Bosh were playing for the latter. This time it was Dirk Nowitzki’s opportunity to shine. Miami took an early lead in the series (2-1), but the German power forward hit the winning basket in Game 4 to tie the series notwithstanding the fact that he was ill (reviving the moments of what legendary Michael Jordan did back in Game 5 of the 1997 finals against Utah Jazz). He eventually led the Mavericks till the end -winning the championship that season- and he was named the Finals MVP.

Dirk proved himself at an international level playing for the German national basketball team as well. He led the German team in the 2002 Basketball World Cup held in Indianapolis, U.S., getting the bronze medal and he was nominated as the tournament’s MVP (being the highest scorer). He is also seen as the main contributing factor for Germany’s success in the 2005 European Championship, when they got the silver medal and Nowitzki was elected as the MVP of the tournament once again.

Many other European basketballers have managed to stand out the last few decades. Two-time NBA champion Pau Gasol is known for his ability to score through a number of different ways and defend efficiently. Tony Parker (a four-time NBA champion) is very successful as a point guard for his layups and the unpredictability surrounding his shooting. Toni Kukoc won three NBA titles alongside Michael Jordan at the late 90s. Arvydas Sabonis -named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011- was considered to be Europe’s breakthrough player in the late 80s, leading the national basketball teams of U.S.S.R. and Lithuania to many titles. Croatian Drazen Petrovic was an incredible shooter (arguably one of the best in basketball history) and was also named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.

Nonetheless, Nowitzki has made his mark as the only European basketball player who has ever scored more than 28,000 points in the NBA. The Dallas Mavericks all-time leading scorer has been widely recognised by many as one of the best European players (if not the best) to ever play the sport. It is worth-mentioning that he has been awarded the “Euroscar player of the year” title 6 times (the maximum number of times the title has been awarded to a basketball player), the “Eurobasket’s all-Europeans player of the year” title 5 times, and he was the “German sports personality of the year” in 2011.

Well-known and respected players acknowledge Nowitzki’s achievements and his contributions, arguing that he will never be forgotten (even after his retirement). He mastered a few moves which many tried to follow, including last year’s MVP Kevin Durant who admitted he has tried to copy some of Nowitzki’s moves. “The King” Lebron James said once that Dirk Nowitzki’s one-legged fadeaway jumpshot has been the second most unstoppable basketball move ever, behind Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s deadly sky hook shot. His name will appear on the list of NBA all-time leading scorers for many years to come and he will always be known as one of Germany’s brightest sports personalities.

]]>http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/06/29/dirk-nowitzki-the-story-of-a-european-basketball-legend/feed/0The Arches: A History (and Why #SaveTheArches Needs a New Angle)http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/06/25/the-arches-a-history-and-why-savethearches-needs-a-new-angle/ http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/06/25/the-arches-a-history-and-why-savethearches-needs-a-new-angle/#commentsThu, 25 Jun 2015 15:35:02 +0000http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/?p=22274Kirsty Conway The Arches being forced into administration due to the loss of its late licence is a serious blow to Glasgow’s arts scene. Founded in 1991, and rooted in Glasgow’s being awarded City of Culture in 1990, The Arches originally used its cabaret club, Café Loco, to help fund other arts activity. This…]]>Kirsty Conway

The Arches being forced into administration due to the loss of its late licence is a serious blow to Glasgow’s arts scene. Founded in 1991, and rooted in Glasgow’s being awarded City of Culture in 1990, The Arches originally used its cabaret club, Café Loco, to help fund other arts activity. This cabaret was gradually replaced by regular club nights, and from the beginning The Arches has been dependent on its club scene, which consistently produced more than half the venue’s turnover, in order to provide a stage to launch innovative new ideas. The Arches is known for its variety within and across art mediums, including visual art, theatre, dance, and music, and for supporting established and emergent artists alike, seen, for example, in their “Sessions” events, marketed as “a new breed of open mic night”, opening the stage to any kind of performance. Financially, it is the late-night club nights that have allowed The Arches to do all of this, while remaining a not-for-profit arts charity. Losing the club nights effectively means losing much, if not all, of the venue’s massive contribution to the arts in Scotland.

There has always been a focus at the venue on making the arts more accessible, particularly to younger people, who are often put off “traditional” theatres and other arts venues, because of a perceived (whether real or imagined) “stuffiness”, and also because of what are often very high ticket prices. The Arches challenges traditional notions of what an arts venue should be, keeping variety wide and costs relatively low.

Of course, as well as funding the performances and exhibitions, the club nights are an important part of what makes The Arches accessible to young people. The use of clubbing culture to connect the way many young people enjoy music, dancing and socialising with various art forms is a crucial part of what makes The Arches unique. Losing this side of the venue not only means that the business model is no longer viable, but also damages The Arches as a platform that supports and encourages inclusion and originality in the arts.

As well as being a creative hub, featuring and discovering talented local and international artists, The Arches as a venue includes a Café Bar and Restaurant, making a conscious effort to be as inclusive as possible, serving everything from a quiet coffee to the full shebang three-course meal. The locally sourced produce is a reminder that The Arches takes pride in supporting what Scotland has to offer, not only in terms of art, but also with regard to food and trade.

While what looks at the moment like the loss of a uniquely brilliant venue is understandably causing outrage, seen in close to 40,000 signing the petition to reinstate their licence, and an overwhelming #savethearches social media campaign, including support from artists and influential industry members, it is important to note why exactly The Arches lost its late licence. Last year, the drugs related death of Regane MacColl, aged 17 at the time, and a number of other drugs-related incidents at the club led to the police raising licencing issues. The Arches cooperated with the police, implementing requested measures, but drug abuse in the club has remained a problem, including numerous cases in which ambulances have had to be called for people in life-threatening conditions. The ongoing issue has eventually led to the Arches late licence being revoked, meaning it can only remain open until midnight. This in turn means that the business model of the club nights supporting other events is no longer viable, resulting in The Arches going into administration in an attempt to salvage some of the business. Glasgow City Council is largely powerless in this situation – as a body it is separate from the Glasgow Licencing Board, which came under heavy pressure from Police Scotland to revoke the licence. Thus, the Scottish Government find themselves with a dilemma – maintain a zero-tolerance policy of substance abuse in licenced venues by making an example of The Arches, or intervene to save the iconic venue and its impressive contribution to Scotland’s arts scene. The government have said they will do what they can to help The Arches, but what exactly this will involve is unclear. The question now is what exactly is needed to save The Arches – how much money, where would it come from, and on what conditions?

At the risk of sounding like my mother, simply returning the late licence sends the wrong message: that drug abuse, to the point of endangering lives, is an unavoidable part of the clubbing and arts scene of the venue. However, the closure of The Arches is not the solution to the problem – substance experimentation and abuse is a worldwide issue, and all the closure of the venue will do is send drug users to other, possibly less safe places. To me, there are two obvious possible solutions. The first is to recognise that this is not a problem specific to The Arches, but rather with drug abuse more generally, and to implement a new system for nightclubs to better enforce a zero-tolerance policy regarding substance abuse. This would be an ideal outcome, however, it is easier said than done, and given that Police Scotland’s reaction thus far has effectively been to push the venue towards closure, it seems unlikely that this route will be pursued. Thus, the alternative is to come up with a new business model for The Arches, i.e. a new way for the venue to fund its arts events, perhaps through the food and drinks side of the business. Coming up with a new business plan requires more in-depth knowledge of the state of the company than I have, but between the creative brains of the huge numbers of people who have expressed their desire to save the venue, we should be able to come up with a solution that doesn’t necessarily involve re-starting the late night club scene, to allow The Arches to continue as a leading, influential arts venue.

]]>http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/06/25/the-arches-a-history-and-why-savethearches-needs-a-new-angle/feed/0Glasgow University remembers Charles Kennedyhttp://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/06/20/glasgow-university-remembers-charles-kennedy/ http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/06/20/glasgow-university-remembers-charles-kennedy/#commentsSat, 20 Jun 2015 15:51:38 +0000http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/?p=22259Fraser McGowan Deputy News Editor Family, friends and colleagues of Charles Kennedy gathered in the Bute Hall on Thursday 18 June to remember the former Rector of Glasgow University, who died suddenly at the age of 55 after suffering a major haemorrhage at his home in Fort William on 1 June. The service was…]]>Fraser McGowan Deputy News Editor

Family, friends and colleagues of Charles Kennedy gathered in the Bute Hall on Thursday 18 June to remember the former Rector of Glasgow University, who died suddenly at the age of 55 after suffering a major haemorrhage at his home in Fort William on 1 June.

The service was led by the University Chaplain the Reverend Stuart MacQuarrie, and was attended by Mr Kennedy’s family, as well as senior political figures including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell, the former Downing Street Director of Communications Alastair Campbell, and the former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell.

A memorial fund, which was established by the University to commemorate the life of Mr Kennedy, was launched officially by Reverend MacQuarrie. The fund is intended to finance the naming of a major teaching facility in Charles Kennedy’s honour within the new Learning and Teaching Hub, which is due to be built as part of the campus redevelopment on the site of the car park next to the Boyd Orr Building.

The service began with an academic procession led by former University piper Donald Campbell, the brother of Alastair Campbell, both of whom were good friends of Mr Kennedy. Those attending were welcomed by the Chancellor of the University Professor Sir Kenneth Calman. He said of Mr Kennedy: “We enjoyed each other’s company and there was always banter and humour between the serious parts of our conversation. […] The last time I was in touch with him was on April 18, returning from Culloden, where I had laid a wreath on the battlefield and realised I was driving through his constituency and I dropped him a note to wish him well. […] I will always remember him with affection.”

Nina Macdonald read the poem When You Are Old by W. B. Yeats. David Mundell read the words of a psalm, Divine Majesty and Human Dignity, and Nicola Sturgeon read Jesus the Way to the Father from St John’s Gospel.

President of the Glasgow University Union, Rory Slater, paid a warm tribute to Mr Kennedy, saying: “I first saw Charles speak right here in this hall on my second day in Glasgow during one of his legendary Freshers addresses. His genuine warmth and welcome was felt by all present in this room, no matter from which corner of the globe.

“The best way to inspire in your audience a sense of pride and identity with an institution is to be proud of it and identify with it yourself. That pride shone forth brightly from Charles Kennedy and gave him a life-long bond with every student here –past, present and yet to come.”

Those sentiments were echoed by the president of the Students’ Representative Council Breffni O’Connor, who said: “Charles served as Rector of the University of Glasgow for two terms and was a true friend to the students. He worked hard to protect our interests and made sure that the student voice was heard at the highest level within the University.

“He was a very principled politician and a great activist on our behalf, who spoke passionately about his opinions and this University, whether in the Bute Hall or in the GUU debating chamber. His legacy will continue as we remember his commitment to the role and passion for the students here. […] Charles had compassion in his blood.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie read the poem Thankful I Am by Leslie Scrase. This was followed by an affectionate tribute by Lord Wallace of Tankerness, who recalled:

“His stance on the Iraq war and its aftermath shed another light on Charles’ character. In spite of his fundamental disagreement with the Prime Minister, and in spite of the hostility to which he’d been subjected, he was never vindictive about opponents. Even in private, I never heard him speak ill about those with whom he disagreed – frustration, yes, but malice no. I can’t help but think how much healthier would be the political climate in Scotland today if people, and overly zealous activists in particular, could emulate Charles Kennedy and respect the sincerely held views of others.”

Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University Anton Muscatelli added: “We should not mourn his loss for long, rather celebrate his legacy, that true humanity has the capacity to rise above the things that divide. If the University has a profound sense of loss, we know that Charles’ family and his close circle of friends will be feeling it much more and our thoughts are with them all. […] Charles, you did a good job. It’s as simple as that.”

Brian McBride, who is a member of the University Court and former CEO of Amazon UK, also paid a personal tribute. He was a close friend of Charles Kennedy and was President of the GUU in 1975 when, as a judge for the English Speaking Union, he first met Kennedy as a school debater. He said: “Glasgow University was so important in so many ways; a large place for a lad from the Highlands. But when he became a huge political figure in Westminster, he never outgrew it – never forgot it. His touch and intuition with students was amazing, only the second person to be elected twice as Rector in 2008 and 2011, and, as you have heard, the first since Benjamin Disraeli in 1870.

“In 2008, on the morning of his first installation, he took two hours out to attend the funeral of a good friend of ours Mrs. Wallace, a mark of the man. I introduced him at his inauguration in 2011, and he was so happy, so excited, about getting the chance to serve the students for a second term. He is one of this university’s most beloved sons, and needless to say, he was admired and revered here by students, academics, and senior management alike.”

The service closed with the hymn, I Vow to Thee, My Country, followed by a Latin blessing delivered by Reverend MacQuarrie, before the academic procession was led by Donald and Alastair Campbell from the Bute Hall into the East Quadrangle.

Born in Inverness on 25 November 1959, Kennedy studied politics and philosophy at the University, graduating MA (Hons) in 1982. He was president of the Glasgow University Union from 1980 to 1981 and won the British Observer Mace for University Debating in 1982. He received an honorary doctorate from the University in 2001 and served two terms as Rector from 2008 to 2014. He was leader of the Liberal Democrats between 1999 and 2006.

After a remarkably poor season, the Los Angeles Lakers need to improve their performance and live up to fans’ expectations. The Lakers are the 2nd most successful team in NBA history in terms of titles won (16); one less than the Boston Celtics (17). However, they had their worst franchise record this year, finishing the season with 21 wins and 61 losses. Many are now critical of the team and their ability to win another ring in the near future. Issues they are now facing include the contribution of Kobe Bryant to the team last season, the need to make the most out of their young players and the 2015 draft picks (finding ways to make them better and improve their game) as well as the acquisition of free agents.

The 3rd best All-time point leader – Kobe Bryant (32,482 points), is on the last year of his deal. In the forthcoming season (which will be his 20th with the Lakers), Bryant is expected to make $25 million. Even though he is recovering from a shoulder injury, some of his critics doubt if he can do much to help the team at his age (Bryant will turn 37 years old on August 23). Last season he played a total of 35 games, averaging 22.3 points per game, but his field goal percentage fell to an unprecedented 37.3% for the first time in his career (source: ESPN). Moreover, the Milwaukee Bucks guard Jared Dudley recently stated that “Kobe’s refusal to defer to his teammates at this stage of his career is the reason why most guys don’t want to play with him”. Notably, Dwight Howard clashed with Kobe, and this can be viewed as one of the main reasons why the center chose to play for the Houston Rockets after the 2012-13 season (even though the Lakers were able to offer him $30 million more).

Although the Lakers have experienced players like Nick Young and Jordan Hill, a lot will depend on the development of the younger members of the team in the long-term. Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson are some of the players providing fans with optimism about the team’s future. The former was selected by the Lakers in the 2014 Draft with the 7th pick, after averaging 15.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per game with the Kentucky Wildcats in the NCAA and winning the SEC Freshman of the Year award. Randle suffered a fractured tibia in the season opener against the Houston Rockets and also underwent surgery to replace the screw in his right foot. However, Randle has now recovered and recently said that “he believes he is 100% ready”. Sitting out most of the season, has given him the chance to improve himself and particularly his game from the perimeter.

A big surprise for the Lakers this season has been Jordan Clarkson. Although he was selected in the 2nd round of the 2014 Draft with the 46th pick, Clarkson managed to gradually develop himself and was named to the NBA all-rookie first team. The 22-year old player averaged 11.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists per game and started 38 games in his rookie year.

Having won the 2nd pick in the NBA’s draft lottery, the Lakers now have the opportunity to choose between big men like Jahlil Okafor, Karl-Anthony Towns or between guards like D’Angelo Russell, Emmanuel Mudiay. Okafor averaged 17.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game last season playing for the Duke Blue Devils of Mike Krzyzewski (source: ESPN), but his defensive game can be further improved. On the other hand, the former Kentucky Wildcat Karl Anthony Towns could be a better rim protector. If the Lakers select a guard with the 2nd pick, D’Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay would be the best two candidates. Either player could move off ball from Jordan Clarkson (who proved himself in his rookie year), offering more choices to the coach. Taking a long-term view, a no.2 pick could potentially become a valuable asset for the team; Kevin Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge were no.2 picks as well.

The Lakers also work players for the 27th and 34th picks. Kentucky Wildcats reserve center Dakari Johnson, Syracuse’s Rakeem Christmas and North Carolina’s J.P. Tokoto are some of the brighter prospects for these picks. Furthermore, signing free agents could be beneficial as well. Mark Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge, Rajon Rondo and Goran Dragic will be available as free agents from July 1, when the free-agency recruiting period opens.

The Los Angeles Lakers became the most valuable basketball club in the world this year (worth $2.6 billion) based on Forbes, unseating the New York Knicks. Moreover, according to twitter data scientist Krist Wongsuphasawat, they are the most popular NBA team all over America. However, there is mounting pressure to make the right changes, given that it is the first time they missed the playoffs three times in a row. It will be increasingly difficult for coach Byron Scott (who signed a multi-year contract to coach the Lakers on July 28, 2014), Jim Buss (part-owner & executive vice president of basketball operations) and Mitch Kupchak (general manager) to create a championship roster. What can be definitely learnt from the Lakers transfer history, is that combining big names in the same roster (e.g. when they paired Steve Nash and Dwight Howard, with Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant) will not secure titles, if the pieces do not fit together.

]]>http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/06/13/the-future-of-the-l-a-lakers/feed/0Review: Flying Lotus, 28th of April, O2 ABChttp://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/06/08/review-flying-lotus-28th-of-april-o2-abc/ http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/06/08/review-flying-lotus-28th-of-april-o2-abc/#commentsMon, 08 Jun 2015 11:12:09 +0000http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/?p=22246Harry Vizor A transcendent experience that seemed to take the audience on a – what I’d imagine to be – DMT fuelled trip through the realms of time and space, with the use of 3D graphics, trippy sounds and a gas mask that coloured the eyes a deep yellow. FlyLo walked on the O2’s…]]>Harry Vizor

A transcendent experience that seemed to take the audience on a – what I’d imagine to be – DMT fuelled trip through the realms of time and space, with the use of 3D graphics, trippy sounds and a gas mask that coloured the eyes a deep yellow.

FlyLo walked on the O2’s stage with a great deal of anticipation exuding from the crowd due to an ominous shield covering the decks and FlyLo himself. He came on in a black suit with a gas mask covering his face, where the plastic eye covers lit up a prominent yellow. He gave a hat tip to local Glaswegian Hudson Mohawke and proceeded to claim that despite the weather he still “fucks with Glasgow [because] Glasgow goes for it.”

He then proceeded to get behind the decks and begin his enthralling performance.

The screen suddenly lit up with an onslaught of colourful, geometric shapes, moving and changing eerily in keeping with the music, while a strobe light either side of the screen flashed intensely different colours. The shapes held the gaze of the audience throughout and the music created the story, the journey that we all seemed to go on, and it must be said that anyone using certain chemicals to enhance their evening may well have ‘broken through to the other side’, that or collapsed due to the sheer intensity of it.

From behind the screen you could see FlyLo doing his work, he appeared to be extremely confident and looked as though he was enjoying himself, as every now and then you saw him lean back, arms wide out as though the experience was running through him and he only seemed to want more from the music and the audience.

Around the half hour mark he was joined by regular collaborator and bassist Thundercat, and the pair went on to tear up the set laying down funky bass-lines in between and underneath the heavy tunes from FlyLo. Thundercat was instantly recognizable when he appeared wearing a Native American style, cheetah headdress. The pair worked comfortably together and you could tell they knew how to perform alongside each other to bring about the best sounds they could.

Altogether a spectacular show, because this was not just a gig, but instead an audio and visual performance that intertwined expertly to create an altered mind state in the audience member.

Flying Lotus has performances at a couple of this summer’s festival appearing at Glastonbury and Bestival, if you’re going to either, I strongly recommend you attend, and if you pick up his latest album release – ‘You’re Dead’, you will not be disappointed.

]]>http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/06/08/review-flying-lotus-28th-of-april-o2-abc/feed/0John Nash: An Eccentric Geniushttp://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/06/07/john-nash-an-eccentric-genius/ http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/06/07/john-nash-an-eccentric-genius/#commentsSun, 07 Jun 2015 20:34:14 +0000http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/?p=22244By Josue Ortega John Nash, one of the greatest scientists of the last century, passed away on May 23rd of 2015. He became famous after the movie “A Beautiful Mind” depicted his life. However, his scientific contributions go beyond fiction and have laid the foundation for some of the most innovative research in mathematics,…]]>By Josue Ortega

John Nash, one of the greatest scientists of the last century, passed away on May 23rd of 2015. He became famous after the movie “A Beautiful Mind” depicted his life. However, his scientific contributions go beyond fiction and have laid the foundation for some of the most innovative research in mathematics, economics, and computer science.

Nash received the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1994, and the Abel Prize in Mathematics in 2015, which is considered the equivalent of the Nobel in mathematics. This puts him on the same ground as Marie Curie – the only person who has received two Nobel awards in different areas of science.

This article provides a short biography of this remarkable man and describes in plain words his most sound contributions to three different fields: game theory, geometry, and cryptography.

The Genius

Nash published his first academic paper, with his father, when he was 17. He completed his Ph.D. at Princeton University in the US, an institution populated by geniuses such as Einstein. A famous anecdote of Nash’s career is that his professor’s recommendation for the doctorate was a single sentence: “This man is a genius”.

He graduated after only 3 years, at the age of 22, having already written the work in Game Theory that will gain him the Nobel Prize and establish him as the central figure in Game Theory. His doctoral thesis was only 27 double-spaced pages.

After finishing his studies, he took positions as a professor at MIT and a researcher at the RAND Corporation. In this period, Nash wrote a letter to the National Security Agency of the US (which was kept confidential for 57 years) proposing the P=NP problem. This is the most important open question in computer science and has a reward of a million US dollars for its solver. He also gave a formal introduction to modern cryptography. It was not until 2012 that scientists realized that in his letter Nash had anticipated many discoveries in computer science by at least a decade.

In 1954 and 1956, Nash wrote his embedding theorem papers, which are considered his most prestigious work in mathematics and are the reason of why he received the Abel Prize.

He made all his major scientific contributions before becoming 30 years old.

The Eccentric

From his early days at Princeton, Nash was known as an odd and arrogant person, but those were no strange features of a great mathematician.

In 1951, he had a brief romance with a nurse, from which he had his first child. However, he left the woman once knowing of her pregnancy. A couple of years later, he was accused of indecent exposure in a public bathroom, to what he argued that he was merely observing behavioural characteristics. The charges were dropped, but the scandal cost him his job at RAND.

The first signs of schizophrenia and mental disorders started in 1958. He rejected a position as a professor at the University of Chicago, alleging his forthcoming announcement as Emperor of Antartica. A year later, when giving a seminar, he could not articulate his ideas, and his disease was evident.

He had delusional ideas and heard imaginary voices. He wrote to the Pope, the UN, and the FBI to explain his concerns about aliens and communists, which he could distinguish because they were wearing red ties. He believed he was receiving messages from the outer space via the New York Times, and during a trip to Europe opened many bank accounts under fake names, until he was deported back to the US. He was hospitalized and resigned his position as a professor. He went through several treatments, including insulin coma therapy, for 11 years.

After 1970, he rejected to continue any medical treatment. He left all scientific efforts for more than 25 years and remained unemployed, supported only by his lifetime companion Alicia, whom he married in 1957, divorced in 1963, and remarried in 2001. The died together in a car accident on their way back home, shortly after receiving the Abel prize in Norway.

He disappeared from the scientific community, telling other scholars to use his work as if he has been dead, and many thought this was indeed true. Around 1980 his disease became mild, which he attributed to the natural process of aging. He returned to Princeton University, where he walked around writing mathematical formulas on boards.

After his retirement from academia, he lived in severe austerity. Once, after being asked how his life changed after receiving the Nobel Prize, he said that after receiving the award he was able to afford a 2 dollar Starbucks coffee.

It is a well-believed rumour that his mental illness was a serious concern to the Nobel committee as they doubted that he would behave appropriately in front of Norway’s King. After the award, a reception was held in his honour at Princeton, where his only words were “the cookies are better than usual today”.

Nash and Game Theory

We call a game any interaction between rational agents in which what happens to each of the agents depends on what everybody else does. Examples include people playing chess, firms determining prices, birds choosing mating partners, or computers selecting downloading channels.

Game theory is a field that tell us what agents should do in those interactions if they were rational. We are interested in equilibrium situations, i.e. those which are stable and no agent wants to deviate from it.

Before Nash, we did not know whether these equilibria existed, but he proved that any finite game has at least one equilibrium point. This point is called Nash equilibrium, and it is taught in any Economics degree. Nash work triggered a revolution and expansion of the field and developed many applications. For example, predicting how much buyers will bid on Google ad auctions, or the construction of stable algorithms to match students and schools in the US and Europe. Other applications include terrorism prevention, kidney transplantation, predictions of animals’ behaviour, among many others.

Geometry, Cryptography and Complexity

There is no easy way to explain Nash work on geometry and differential equations, but we will try.

An embedding in mathematics is a particular relationship between two objects which share some, usually not so evident, properties. What Nash did was to show that an embedding could be constructed between two mathematical objects (a Riemann manifold and a Euclidean space), in a way that distances are preserved. He did this by brilliantly solving a system of partial differential equations. A differential equation is a relationship between a variable, say the speed of an object, and its derivative or rate of change, which in our example is the acceleration.

His hidden work in cryptography and complexity was all contained in a letter that Nash sent to the US government, proposing an encrypting device that was ultimately rejected. We mentioned that he anticipated the P=NP problem, which ask whether any problem that is easy to be verified by a computer can also be easily solved. The P=NP problem, as we mentioned, remains unsolved.

Based on his conjectures about P not equal to NP, he proposed encryption schemes that are hard to crack, the fundamental basis of modern cryptography. Cryptography is the discipline that studies secure information transmission, i.e. communication that is inaccessible to third parties, and its applications include the design of credit cards or computer passwords.

To summarize, Nash managed to become one of the greatest scientists of history by completing 14 influential papers before he reached the age of 30. One cannot stop wondering how much more he would have done if he would not have had to stop due to his schizophrenia problems. I conclude with a quote from John Nash itself:

“I can see there’s a connection between not following normal thinking and doing creative thinking. I would not have had good scientific ideas if I had thought more normally.”

Sources to Find Out More:

Erica Goode (2015), “John Nash dies at 86”, The New York Times Obituary.

Josue is a Ph.D. researcher at the University of Glasgow and an associated member of the UK Institute of Mathematics and its Applications. He holds a M.Sc. from the Institute for Advanced Studies in Vienna.

Politicians and academia, like salt and most delicacies, rarely make for an enjoyable combination. More so, the splicing of failed politicians and academia seems almost preemptively doomed to produce awkward lecture theatre mediocrity. Enter Mike Russell MSP, former education secretary, newly appointed Glasgow University lecturer and the worst…]]>

Karl Max Factor Writer

Politicians and academia, like salt and most delicacies, rarely make for an enjoyable combination. More so, the splicing of failed politicians and academia seems almost preemptively doomed to produce awkward lecture theatre mediocrity. Enter Mike Russell MSP, former education secretary, newly appointed Glasgow University lecturer and the worst thing to have happened to Scottish schooling since the 11-plus.

In his role as a professor in Scottish culture and governance, Mike Russell holds the somewhat ironic responsibility of educating students on the thrill-a-minute rollercoaster of Holyrood bureaucracy, unperturbed, it would seem, by his public and indeed destructive inability to, eh, actually navigate Scottish governance himself.

At least, death by red tape and paper hurdle jumping is the generous explanation for Russell’s failings: another is that he knew exactly who and what was being thrown under the bus when Holyrood slashed school spending by 5% (higher and harsher than in any other part of the UK) between 2011 and 2013 in real terms. Opting instead to redirect money to the middle class subsidies of universal free tuition, free prescriptions (even if the place you call home is a palace constructed entirely of gold and marble) and other spending commitments deemed more important by the then education secretary than, you know, trashy poor kids in council houses whose parents probably won’t turn up to vote anyway.

Overall the proportion of primary and secondary pupils doing “well” or “very well” at reading over the past two years has plummeted, along with basic writing skills, but particularly hard hit have been the most deprived of Scottish pupils. Just two fifths (41%) of S2 kids in poorer areas have been deemed to be performing “well” or “very well’” in writing, a damning drop of 11%. Our attainment gap in Scotland is continuously widening in a biblical fashion, unrivalled since Moses, with fewer pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds going into higher education here than down south. At the same time student numbers at colleges fell by almost 50,000 (colleges, of course, tend to benefit those from less privileged background) while 1,000 teaching positions were cut. Mike Russell’s legacy after five years at the top table of power with sole responsibility over Scottish education could only have been worse had he taken his centralisation preference that one step further and enacted Miss Trunchbull’s ‘chokey’ in every region of the country, from Dundee to Dumfries, and replaced Higher business management with defence against the dark arts for a laugh.

Regardless of your politics, your voting preferences or your star sign, education is everything. It is fundamental. Governments come and go but education will remain a necessity forever; without a decent education poor kids would have virtually no rope ladder to tug on, and any flicker of a meritocratic job market would evaporate.

First minister Nicola Sturgeon was right to sack Mike Russell upon taking over from her more lenient predecessor last year, and the leaders of every other Scottish political party have been right to cast light on the trail of destruction this man has left behind. Logically, a political failure of such grandiose proportions, deemed a liability by even those within his own party, would be expected to flee to the backbenches of the Scottish Parliament, not take up a cushy teaching post at one of the country’s top universities. And yet here we are, Glasgow University, welcoming a failed politician disguised as a scholar.

It’s a bizarre situation worth pondering. Why would a Russell Group university (which, by definition, entails a requirement for top working research professors) hire an ill-qualified guy with a resume more contentious than The Satanic Verses? Perhaps they are hoping to stay on the Scottish government’s good side as Holyrood forces through controversial legislation designed to interfere with the governing bodies of higher education institutions. Legislation considered by some critics, including Liz Smith MSP, confirm her belief that the Scottish government is “hell bent on meddling in governance and exerting more and more control over the sector”. But then it’s not as if Professor Russell is likely to have any particular sway or clout with Nicola Sturgeon, who had the guy out on his ear quicker than a G1 bouncer.

No, the reasoning for Mike Russell’s appointment remains a mystery. Even in the unlikely event that there were no other candidates dripping in degrees available to fill the position, an acting MSP (from the governing party, no less) in a university teaching vacancy is a mildly discomforting thought. Can a politician speak openly about Scottish governance and culture in lecture theatres without criticising his own party, in a way sure to be picked up and tweeted by attendees for the media to see? Fear of publicly speaking out on relevant topics – or rather, fear of its consequences – should have no place in academia, but it could well transpire to be a problem for this new recruit. Can an SNP former cabinet member speak objectively on political culture? Can he discuss the merits of arguments critiquing nationalism? It’s a precarious position: quite the tightrope walk.

Amusingly, just a few short months ago SNP MP Pete Wishart spoke out against ‘double jobbing’ MPs in the House of Commons, commenting: “I believe that being a member of parliament is a full-time job. In fact, we have got two jobs: we have our responsibilities in this House, and then we have our obligations to our constituents”. Evidently, his colleague in the Scottish Parliament does not share that view.

Only time and end-of-semester review sheets will tell how Mike Russell performs as a part-time professor. It’s certainly too late for Muscatelli to back out now. All we can do in the meantime is hope that, for the sake of Glasgow University’s students of Scottish culture and governance, he makes at least a marginally better educator than he did an education secretary, though we may take a perverse sort of comfort in the knowledge that it would be difficult for him to do much worse.

This article was updated and the sentence: “Enter Mike Russell MSP, former education secretary, newly appointed Glasgow University lecturer and the worst thing to have happened to Scottish schooling since dyslexia” was replaced. (23:08 05/06/2015)

The controversial former cabinet secretary for education and lifelong learning, Mike Russell MSP, has been appointed professor in Scottish culture and governance at the University of Glasgow, following his dismissal from the Scottish government in November last year. The position is linked to both the College of Social Sciences…]]>

Rhys Harper Writer

The controversial former cabinet secretary for education and lifelong learning, Mike Russell MSP, has been appointed professor in Scottish culture and governance at the University of Glasgow, following his dismissal from the Scottish government in November last year.

The position is linked to both the College of Social Sciences and the College of Arts, with Russell expected to engage in a range of activities on campus, including teaching and research, as well as delivering a customary annual public lecture. It is understood that Mr Russell will be working at the University on a part-time basis.

The appointment comes after Russell was replaced as education secretary last year by first minister Nicola Sturgeon shortly after she took office. Russell was promoted to the position under Alex Salmond in 2009 and has been widely criticised for presiding over the perceived decline in Scottish schooling standards. Recent figures show a decline in literacy skills among both primary and secondary school children between the years 2012 and 2014.

Towards the end of his tenure as education secretary, Russell suggested that the decline was a consequence of Scotland voting to remain as part of the United Kingdom in last year’s independence referendum, a claim dismissed by opposition MSPs as a shirking of responsibility. Mr Russell was succeeded as education secretary by former SRC president Angela Constance MSP.

The principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Glasgow, Anton Muscatelli, said: “I am absolutely delighted that Michael is joining the University of Glasgow. As well as being a former cabinet secretary for education Michael has a long background and interest in Scottish culture and society. His knowledge and insights will be of tremendous benefit to our students and staff and we are all very much looking forward to working with him”.

Mr Russell said: “I am delighted to be joining the University of Glasgow and am grateful for this new and exciting opportunity. Glasgow is one of the top 100 universities in the world and under Anton’s leadership it is contributing greatly to the excellence of Scottish higher education and research. I am looking forward to working on issues that are close to my heart, to sharing some of my experience of government and Scottish culture with students and to collaborating with the many very fine scholars who are part of the community of the University”.

Russell will continue as the MSP for the Argyll and Bute constituency while working at the University. It is understood that he intends to stand for re-election in next year’s Scottish parliamentary election.

]]>http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/06/04/former-education-secretary-appointed-professor-of-scottish-culture-and-governance-at-glasgow-university/feed/0Former rector Charles Kennedy dead at 55http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/06/02/former-rector-charles-kennedy-dead-at-55/ http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2015/06/02/former-rector-charles-kennedy-dead-at-55/#commentsTue, 02 Jun 2015 15:07:41 +0000http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/?p=22225By Fraser McGowan Deputy News Editor Charles Kennedy, the former rector of Glasgow University and leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, has died suddenly at his home in Fort William aged 55. His family released a statement this morning telling of how devastated they were to lose a “fine man and loving father”. A…]]>

By Fraser McGowan Deputy News Editor

Charles Kennedy, the former rector of Glasgow University and leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, has died suddenly at his home in Fort William aged 55. His family released a statement this morning telling of how devastated they were to lose a “fine man and loving father”. A post-mortem has yet to be carried out but police have confirmed that the circumstances of the death were not suspicious.

In a statement, Mr Kennedy’s family said: “It is with great sadness, and an enormous sense of shock, that we announce the death of Charles Kennedy. We are obviously devastated at the loss. Charles was a fine man, a talented politician, and a loving father to his young son”.

A spokesman for Police Scotland said: “Police officers attended an address at Fort William on Monday, June 1 to reports of the sudden death of a 55-year-old man. Police were notified by ambulance service personnel. There are no suspicious circumstances”.

Mr Kennedy, who was Rector from 2008 to 2014, was the Member of Parliament for Ross, Skye and Lochaber from 1983 to 2015, when he lost his seat to Ian Blackford in the SNP landslide. He led the Liberal Democrats from 1999 to 2006, leading the party to its best ever election result in 2005, winning 62 Westminster seats. He resigned as party leader after confirming that he was receiving treatment for an alcohol problem.

Kennedy graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1982 with an MA (Hons) in politics and philosophy. He was president of the Glasgow University Union from 1980 to 1981, and won the British Observer Mace for University Debating in 1982. He was the first president elected after members voted to allow women to join the Union, on 25th February 1980.

Nick Clegg, one of Kennedy’s successors as party leader , said on Twitter “Charles Kennedy was one of the most gifted politicians of a generation, he always spoke with great humour, humility and courage”. The prime minister David Cameron said “I’m deeply saddened by the death of Charles Kennedy. He was a talented politician who has died too young. My thoughts are with his family”.

Gordon Brown described him as “one of the greatest debaters, orators and communicators who brought humour to politics […]” The first minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted “Sad beyond words to hear the news about Charlie Kennedy. A lovely man and one of the most talented politicians of his time. Gone too soon”.

Charles Kennedy, who was then a candidate for the Social Democratic Party, became the “baby of the House” when he won the Ross, Cromarty and Skye seat in 1983 at the age of 23. After the SDP merged with the Liberal Party in 1988, Mr Kennedy held a number of frontbench posts before succeeding Paddy Ashdown as leader of the Liberal Democrats in 1999. He led his party into two general elections, in which it won 52 seats in 2001 and 62 seats in 2005, making him the party’s most electorally successful leader to date. He and his colleague Sir Menzies Campbell led the parliamentary opposition to the Iraq war in 2003. In the aftermath of the 2010 general election, he was the only member of the parliamentary party to vote against entering a coalition government with the Conservative Party.

In May 2010, he wrote in the Guardian newspaper: “Like many others I was keen to explore the possibilities of a so-called “progressive coalition”, despite all the obvious difficulties and drawbacks. It remains a matter of profound disappointment that there was insufficient reciprocal will within the Labour party – and they should not be allowed to pose in opposition purity as a result.”

Although Mr Kennedy was critical of the decision to take Britain to war in Iraq, former prime minister Tony Blair said that “Charles’ death is an absolute tragedy. He came into Parliament at the same time as me in 1983. He was throughout his time a lovely, genuine and deeply committed public servant. As Leader of the Liberal Democrats we worked closely together and he was always great company with a lively and inventive mind. I am very saddened indeed by this news.”

The current president of the Glasgow University Union Rory Slater told the Glasgow Guardian: “Glasgow University Union is tremendously sad to hear of the passing of Charles Kennedy. As a former GUU President and Rector of Glasgow University, Charles was always a great friend of the Union and will be greatly missed by all. His contributions to our Union and across the wider campus will never be forgotten. The Union extends its deepest sympathies to his family and friends.

“Charles was a prominent GUU Parliamentary Debater and won the Observer Mace in 1982 (now the John Smith Memorial Mace) in addition to helping form the World Universities Debating Competition as we know it today”.

In a letter which is to be circulated to staff and students of the University of Glasgow, Principal and Vice-Chancellor Anton Muscatelli wrote: “The sudden death of Charles Kennedy, one of our most distinguished alumni and finest working rectors, leaves the University a poorer and sadder place. […]

“He was a couple of years ahead of me when I was a student here and I did not know him then, but I remember watching him perform in the GUU Debating Chamber and being impressed by his oratory. At the time I thought he would make a great politician if he chose that route – and indeed he proved to be one of the finest politicians of his generation. […]

“He made a tremendous contribution to the University community over his six years as rector, representing the students’ views to the University’s management team. […] The thoughts and prayers of all of us at the University of Glasgow are with Charles’ family at this dreadfully sad and tragic time.”

Breffni O’Connor told the Glasgow Guardian: “Charles served as Rector of the University of Glasgow for two terms and was a true friend to the students at the University of Glasgow; he worked hard to protect our interests and made sure that the student voice was heard at the highest level within the University. He was a very principled politician and a great activist on our behalf, who spoke passionately about his opinions and this University, whether in the Bute Hall or in the GUU Debating Chamber. His legacy will continue as we remember his commitment to the role and passion for the students here.”

Mr Kennedy’s father Ian died earlier this year and his mother Mary died in 2013. He is survived by his older brother Ian, 62, and his 10 year old son Donald. Following news of his death, it was reported that, despite losing his seat in parliament, he had been looking forward to campaigning for a ‘Yes’ vote in the upcoming referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union.